What do you do? This really bothers me...

[ironman]

I know what you mean. I ignor the rude part of it and try to get their attention if that does not work I ask a spectator to watch the shot. That way they can't say anything they left the table, so thats either sharking or forfit.

Let em walk. When they comeback and ask what happened I always say , "I don't remember, weren't you watching"? If they want to argue after that, I just ignore them and refuse to play that little game.

 

[mattman]

I had this happen a couple/few months ago, except I was playing the TD at the time. We flipped for the break I won, then he walks off. I continue to break and ran a few balls. I seen the possibility of an out and seen him walking towards my direction. I stopped so he could watch, then he turns around like he forgot something. I ran all but one of my balls and the 8 ball and waited until he came back and finished them off. I probably would have waited on him the entire time, but there was a witness there watching so it didn't bother me.

 

[bud green]

For most cases I think this is sharking.

Against the real slow players in the world, I think its perfectly fine to walk away if they are going to take too much time to shoot.

I played a lady (local tourney finals) who took 2 minutes every shot, no exaggeration, and I got so tired of watching her I would go over and shoot a couple of three cushion shots while she did her routine. Rude, maybe, but life is short and watching C players spend all that time and still miss is too brutal to take sometimes.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

For most cases I think this is sharking.

Against the real slow players in the world, I think its perfectly fine to walk away if they are going to take too much time to shoot.

I played a lady (local tourney finals) who took 2 minutes every shot, no exaggeration, and I got so tired of watching her I would go over and shoot a couple of three cushion shots while she did her routine. Rude, maybe, but life is short and watching C players spend all that time and still miss is too brutal to take sometimes.

Actually, in most tournaments, taking shots on a nearby table during a match could be a foul or even loss of match. There are plenty of other horrible things you can do (see my other posts in this thread) but this is not one of them.

 

[klockdoc]

Sometimes, it requires doing something outlandish.

Might as well mark up a couple extra games also..

Rack your own and when he comes back, say "WOW, you just missed the best 2 toughest racks I've ever run!"

"Should have been here"

 

[dabarbr]

I might even start shooting the balls in without the cueball.

Why bother shooting them in order if you're playing nine ball. Just shoot the nine in then now you have time to also take a break til he gets back.

Kidding aside it really is hard to stay focused when you know your opponent has left the area. Very disrespecful. For this to happen it must be a very small tournament.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Why bother shooting them in order if you're playing nine ball. Just shoot the nine in then now you have time to also take a break til he gets back.

Kidding aside it really is hard to stay focused when you know your opponent has left the area. Very disrespecful. For this to happen it must be a very small tournament.

No. You can't look at it as a focus issue. He left the table because he is deliberately trying to shark you.

Think about this for one moment. You arrive for a match and you're putting your cues together. The prudent competitor checks his vitals. If you need to urinate, you do so now. If you're thirsty, you go get a water. If you need a smoke, you tell the guy to practice for a minute while you run outside. No matter what your need is, you take care of it BEFORE the first shot.

Now a match can last an hour or two so you might need a bathroom break later or you might need a bottle of water but there's an appropriate time to do this. When it's YOUR turn. Not his. When your opponent is shooting, you are obligated (if not by rules, by ethics) to sit, be quiet and be still until it is your turn (not including game-specific exceptions). YOU DON'T GET UP AND LEAVE THE TABLE WHEN YOU WANT. I'm sorry but that's f*cked-up. If I'm in the middle of a 4 pack and my opponent decided to go out for a smoke, I'd flip out. If I'm running 97 balls and he decides to go to the bathroom while I'm getting ready to smash the rack, I might pee on his cue case.

So long as they take their break when it's their turn. It could be mid-rack, it could be at the end of a rack, it could be when they're on the 9-ball, so long as it's their turn. That's fine. I mean, how long do you really think turns take? I think my longest turn EVER was about 20-25 minutes. The vast majority of my turns are under 5 minutes (hey, I play 9-ball). Even if my opponent has a medical condition, they should be able to wait 5 minutes.

They leave the table, f*ck-em. I'm going to do what I want.

 

[cleary]

Think about this for one moment. You arrive for a match and you're putting your cues together. The prudent competitor checks his vitals. If you need to urinate, you do so now. If you're thirsty, you go get a water. If you need a smoke, you tell the guy to practice for a minute while you run outside. No matter what your need is, you take care of it BEFORE the first shot.

Learned this the hard way.

Was playing in a tournament... losers side bracket... loser gets 4th.
I just won my 4th game, marked my game.... the score was 4-2, race to 7. Before I break, I tell him I need to use the restroom. Run in, run out. Come back and break. Nothing drops but the 9 is hanging. He combos it in and I watch him mark his game. Somehow, its now 3-3. The guy (who has been sharking me and cheating the whole match) took one of my games off the wire.

Im not the kind of person to make a big deal about things, especially in a room where I know nobody and he seems to know everyone. I just wasn't going to cause a fuss. He was cheating from the beginning. From a flying saucer of a coin flip to double hitting the cue ball and denying it. I should have seen it coming and just waited to go to the restroom... So anyway, just suck it up and keep playing. I end up losing in a hill-hill match that I should have won. Guess he needed the money more than me.

 

[pharaoh68]

This ever happen to anyone else in tournaments? Your playing an opponent, and it's your shot, and they just decide to walk off. What do you do? Generally I feel like I should wait for them to return so they can see my shot. I think it's really rude to just walk off.

So what do you do when this happens? Do you just go ahead and shoot? Wait? Get mad at the disrespect?

I mean some of these guys at tournaments are just there for a social gathering it seems. They make a few shots, and then when it's your turn they go and talk to their buddies across the room!

If my opponent is someone I know and respect, I will show them that respect by waiting for them to return. Upon their return, I will also make a point of expressing to them that I could have kept shooting and would have, but I waited out of respect for them.

If its someone who shows little respect in return, someone who I feel may be walking off with the intentions of sharking me, then I'll keep shooting without a second thought.

 

[pharaoh68]

Think about this for one moment. You arrive for a match and you're putting your cues together. The prudent competitor checks his vitals. If you need to urinate, you do so now. If you're thirsty, you go get a water. If you need a smoke, you tell the guy to practice for a minute while you run outside. No matter what your need is, you take care of it BEFORE the first shot.

I see what you're saying Jude. And I don't mean to start trouble (again ). Just simply playing devil's advocate here:

What if you get the runs??? Sometimes, pool hall food and fare isn't exactly the best for the stomach. And one time, I had just downed some hot dogs and "easy cheese" nachos when, about ten minutes into my next match, ol' number two started hollering!!

Yep! Loud farts! Shooting craps and pains in my abdomen! The whole shabang!!! Fortunately, I knew my opponent and I will still say to this day, "Bob, (he knows who he is) you are true class act my friend! One of the finest people I've ever met in a poolhall and it is always a pleasure playing you!"

But had I been playing someone else, I may have had to stick it out. Or worse yet, shart myself!!!!!!

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I see what you're saying Jude. And I don't mean to start trouble (again ). Just simply playing devil's advocate here:

What if you get the runs??? Sometimes, pool hall food and fare isn't exactly the best for the stomach. And one time, I had just downed some hot dogs and "easy cheese" nachos when, about ten minutes into my next match, ol' number two started hollering!!

Yep! Loud farts! Shooting craps and pains in my abdomen! The whole shabang!!! Fortunately, I knew my opponent and I will still say to this day, "Bob, (he knows who he is) you are true class act my friend! One of the finest people I've ever met in a poolhall and it is always a pleasure playing you!"

But had I been playing someone else, I may have had to stick it out. Or worse yet, shart myself!!!!!!

I mean, there is always an exception to every rule. I don't want my opponent crapping on himself. I think there is a difference between the guy with the sweaty face and urgent look in his eyes telling you he REALLY has to go versus the guy who just casually gets up and strolls to the bathroom while you're shooting. Obviously one will be treated differently than the other (at least by me! )

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Learned this the hard way.

Was playing in a tournament... losers side bracket... loser gets 4th.
I just won my 4th game, marked my game.... the score was 4-2, race to 7. Before I break, I tell him I need to use the restroom. Run in, run out. Come back and break. Nothing drops but the 9 is hanging. He combos it in and I watch him mark his game. Somehow, its now 3-3. The guy (who has been sharking me and cheating the whole match) took one of my games off the wire.

Im not the kind of person to make a big deal about things, especially in a room where I know nobody and he seems to know everyone. I just wasn't going to cause a fuss. He was cheating from the beginning. From a flying saucer of a coin flip to double hitting the cue ball and denying it. I should have seen it coming and just waited to go to the restroom... So anyway, just suck it up and keep playing. I end up losing in a hill-hill match that I should have won. Guess he needed the money more than me.

Actually, changing the score is a big no no for me. I usually flip out when that happens. Whole room knows about it immediately. It can get very embarrassing.